If you’ve spent time taking care of a newborn, disabled child, incapacitated adult or aging parent, you know that it’s a big challenge. But were you aware that caregivers are more likely to experience symptoms of physical, emotional and psychological stress? That’s why it’s important to take care of yourself so you can continue taking care of your loved ones.

A Growing Need

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are more than 40 million unpaid caregivers in the United States. Of these, nearly 9 in 10 are caring for a relative, and 60 percent provide care for an aging parent or grandparent.

The current national trend shows an increasing number of older adults opting to “age in place.” People are choosing to remain in the home throughout their senior years, instead of a retirement community or nursing facility. All of this is leading to a greater overall demand for every type of in-home care.

A Tough Job

A caregiver – sometimes called an informal caregiver – is an unpaid individual (a spouse, partner, family member, friend, or neighbor) who assists others with routine daily activities and/or health-related medical tasks. By contrast, formal caregivers – such as our professionals at Oxford – are paid care providers who deliver care in a patient’s home or in a care setting (day care, residential facility, long-term care facility).

Caregiving tasks may range from simple companionship and wellness checks, to basic medical tasks, including some medications. These varied demands are especially challenging for untrained caregivers, compared to home care professionals at Oxford. Stress is often compounded by unpredictable behavior of children with developmental delays, or seniors with dementia-related conditions.

The all-hours nature of informal caregiving often leads to unmanageable stress for the caregiver, particularly if the patient is a loved one or family member. This stress can leave caregivers feeling burned out and isolated. This is especially true if you are “on duty” for long stretches of time without respite or assistance. It can also increase your risk for everything from anxiety to depression, as well as physical impacts such as fatigue and decreased immune resistance.

If you are able to continue providing care, we salute you. If you feel you cannot continue to provide a safe, healthy environment by yourself, Oxford understands. We have helped thousands of caregivers just like you with respite care resources, part-time assistance or other support. Contact one of our Care Coordinators and they will be happy to provide resources and options to help.

National Nurses Week is May 6 – 12 – Make sure you let your caregivers know you appreciate them!

Has your life been improved by a member of the nursing profession? You have a great opportunity coming up this week to say “Thanks!” and let them know they have made a positive impact on you.

National Nurses Week

Since 1990, the week of May 6–12 has officially been the national observance of Nurses Week. However, the movement for greater nurse recognition had been in progress since the 1950’s, according to the American Nurses Association (ANA).

The focus of this year’s celebration will be “Nursing: the Balance of Mind, Body and Spirit,” and will pay special attention to Health & Wellness nurses. Additionally, the ANA is offering resources giving nurses tools to battle the fatigue, moral distress and burnout – all of which are common across caregiver professions.

A Valued Profession

This year’s celebration comes on the heels of 2016 survey results released by Gallup, a company that internationally conducts economic, business, political, and social polls. For the 15th year in a row, nurses ranked as the “Most Trusted Professionals.” Of particular note, the study results showed that;

One in six people (84 percent) surveyed rated the honesty and ethical standards of nurses as “High” or “Very High”

Nurses ratings were 25 percent higher than the next closest profession (pharmacists), which scored 67 percent

Doctors, engineers, dentists and police officers were the next group of most-trusted, with insurance and car salespeople on extreme low end of the list, and members of Congress occupying the least-trusted spot

Celebrate Your Favorite Nurse

We also encourage YOU to let a nurse know how they’ve positively impacted your life. If a particular nurse has made a real difference for you or a family member, let us know by sending a short “Thank You” note on our contact page. We’ll make sure that they get the message!

By Corrie Dinwiddie, RN
Oxford HealthCare Wound Coordinator

The skin is the largest organ of the human body. According to the online journal LiveScience.com, the average person’s skin counts for 16 percent of their total weight, and spans a surface area of 22 square feet. It is also one of the most important organs for our general health, helping to:

To function properly, your skin needs adequate attention and proper care. A break-down in your overall skin health can put you at risk for injury and disease.

Possible Skin Problems

Even if you have healthy skin, problems may occur if you are immobile for long periods of time, especially in a lying or sitting position. When this happens, pressure from your body weight on the bed or chair surface cuts off the blood supply to skin. As a result, those skin cells don’t get the oxygen and nutrients they need to survive, and a pressure ulcer may result.

The condition mainly occurs on skin areas that cover a bone or bulge, such as heels, shoulders, hips, and upper buttocks. Pressure ulcers have many names, including:

Older adults are more at risk for a pressure ulcer, as are patients who slide down in the bed. Sliding down can cause friction that may tear delicate or already damaged skin.

Symptoms of a Pressure Ulcer

If you have a pressure ulcer, you may have burning, aching, or itching at the site. The injured skin may be red or bruised, or have a purplish discoloration that continues even after you shift position. People with darker skin tones may not show redness or discoloration, and some may need to compare the injured area with uninjured skin tissue.

A pressure ulcer may feel firm or mushy, and may be warm to the touch. Swelling and tenderness are common, and a blister or shallow sore may develop. Sometimes a clear or blood-tinged fluid may drain from the ulcer area. If un-noticed or un-treated, the wound may deepen and extend into the fat layer or adipose (ADD-ih-pose) tissue, or even down to the bone. Pressure ulcers are sometimes categorized in stages (Stage I, Stage II, etc.), based on how deeply the tissue is injured.

What Can You Do to Help Prevent a Pressure Ulcer?

You and your family members are important to the prevention and care of a pressure ulcer. Your skin health can be improved when general steps are taken, including:

Not smoking

Daily exercise (even bedridden patients need activity)

Good nutrition

Maintaining a healthy weight

Adequate hygiene

Moving and turning

Asking your family or caregiver to help you move and turn if you are confined to a bed or chair

How Do Hospitals and Nursing Homes Prevent Pressure Ulcers?

Your nurses and doctors will begin a plan of care to help keep your skin healthy. If you are not able to move yourself, the hospital or nursing home staff will help you move and turn. They may use special skin care products to protect your skin, and connect you with a dietitian to help you improve your diet. If your nurse or doctor suspects an ulcer, he or she will work to relieve pressure on the area. In some cases, a special mattress or bed may be used to help redistribute pressure.

Even though your skin is one of the most complex and important organs in your body, caring for it is not complicated. Follow these simple steps, and ask your doctor if you have further concerns about potential pressure ulcers.

Over the years I have talked to many family members who come home for the holidays and become concerned because they have noticed “changes” in their loved one or their circumstances.

They are not always sure if home care services are needed or if their concern is unfounded. The following indicators can be used as a guide to help determine if your loved one could benefit from home care services.

Medical Condition

New diagnosis

New medications or treatments ordered by a physician

Terminal illness

Recently discharged from a hospital or nursing facility

Physician has restricted activity during a period of recuperation—this could be a few days or several weeks

Frequent falls or fear of falling

Confusion, forgetfulness, depression or other changes in mental status

No longer able to/should not drive or driving is very limited

Frequent trips to the doctor, urgent care or ER

Uses an assistive device (cane, walker, wheelchair or stair climber) to help with balance or walking

Is required to take several daily medications

Caregiver Relief

The person being cared for should not be left alone and may require 24-hour supervision

Spouse/family members work

Caregiver appears to be stressed and overwhelmed

Spouse/family members in poor health

The person being cared for needs more assistance than the caregiver is able or willing to provide

Strong Desire to Remain at Home But is Unsure of How to Manage Because…

If your loved one has one or more of the indicators listed above, call Oxford HealthCare and ask to speak with a Care Coordinator.

A qualified home care professional will:

Identify needs and available services

Evaluate funding sources and community services

Coordinate services upon request

*Pam Gennings has a Bachelor’s of Arts and has worked in the field of Geriatric Social Work and Care Coordination for more than 30 years. She started working for Oxford HealthCare in 1993. During the course of her career she has helped thousands of people find resources to remain in their homes as well as provided guidance to families that were facing difficulties with their aging loved ones.

Caring for a parent is hard. And sometimes, often in spite of the best of intentions, siblings can make that care more complicated. Often, one child becomes the primary caregiver for a parent and may become resentful that other siblings aren’t helping as much as they could. Some siblings may skirt caregiving responsibilities with excuses of “I don’t have enough time,” or “I just don’t have the money.” Sometimes one sibling might refuse help or advice from others, certain they can best handle things by themselves.

Many families don’t take time to consider the best supporting role each member could play while caring for a parent. There is a lot to do, but by supporting each other and sharing responsibilities, families can make caregiving a success. Share the load. Pitch in. There are always ways to help. Make phone calls, offer emotional support, run errands, or simply give someone a break.

When it comes to caring for a parent, brothers and sisters have to work together, and communication is the key to working together.

Family meetings can be instrumental in determining roles, pooling resources, and allowing everyone a voice. Open communication is the best way to overcome disagreements, resolve conflict, and reach consensus on the hard decisions your family faces.

But teamwork takes effort. There may be disagreement on what is best for your parent. Conflicts may arise out of present anxiety and fear of what lies ahead. Caring for a parent may re-ignite sibling rivalries thought long since over.

The best way to handle these struggles is often to simply acknowledge them and discuss them honestly. Admit your concerns and limitations, and embrace those of your brothers and sisters. Remember that you’re all after the same thing: what is best for your parent.

Sometimes it is best to agree to disagree. If you reach an impasse, consider involving an impartial observer, such as a social worker or counselor who can help families work through issues and stay focused on the task at hand.

Consider these tips for winning support from your siblings:

Ask for help clearly and directly. Be specific.

Be realistic—don’t ask for the impossible.

Try to accept your siblings as who they are, not who you wish they were.

Listen to your siblings’ concerns openly, without judgment, and carefully consider their feedback.

Consider the relationship your sibling has with your parent and look for tasks that work within that relationship. If your sister can’t be with mom for long without arguing, send her out shopping, or ask her to do some paperwork.

Be careful how you ask for help. If your tone reflects anger, your brothers and sisters are more likely to react in unhelpful ways.

Avoid making your siblings feel guilty. Guilt makes people uncomfortable and defensive, which only hurts things in the long run.

If your family isn’t able to assist with caregiving, explore outside resources for help.

Perhaps most importantly, be sure to take care of yourself. You have to be healthy to be up to the challenge of caregiving.

Families have long, complicated histories, and with the challenges of caregiving it is often hard to communicate without overreacting or misinterpreting. Dealing with siblings over parent care can be difficult, complex and emotional, but it is important to understand your emotions and to try to have sympathy for your siblings’ feelings as well, even when you disagree.

Family dynamics were in place prior to the need for parent care, and you may not be able to resolve existing conflicts to your satisfaction right now. The important thing now is to get support for yourself so you can find peace during your caregiving journey.

Oxford Health Care offers numerous home care programs that can provide you the help, support and relief you need, so you can enjoy time with your loved one and continue to care for them at home. If you have questions, our Care Coordinators will be happy to assist you.

Everyone needs tender loving care, and someone with dementia such as Alzheimer’s disease is no exception. In fact, because dementia robs people of language, non-verbal communication becomes even more important. Non- verbal communication is critical when dealing with dementia, and touch is a powerful way to connect with someone who is losing other avenues to communicate.

Tactile stimulation can help when language is failing. Anything individuals can touch, feel or manipulate with their hands helps fill the void left with loss of language. It is actually the brain that “feels”—so tactile stimulation is brain stimulation.

People with dementia don’t lose the capacity for human emotion or recognition of a caring touch, even in the late stages of the disease. A hug, handshake, pat on the arm, hand lotion massage or stroke of the hair can relay feelings of compassion and care. And of course, a smile is a universally understood expression!

Studies have identified the physical benefits of touch, including: lowering blood pressure, decreasing pain and heart rate, improving mood and lowering stress. Touch can also benefit those with dementia by calming them. Massaging the hands or handholding can reduce agitation; help ease the feelings of isolation, loneliness and boredom; and, encourage feelings of well-being.

We need to respect a person’s preferences for physical touch and explore ways to make contact that are comfortable to the individual. If someone is highly agitated, use caution in your approach, as the individual may not accept you entering his/her private space. However, while we do need to be respectful of someone’s comfort level, that should not stop us from finding ways to nurture those in our care.

“Love is not a memory—it’s a feeling in the heart and soul, never to be forgotten. This disease can take away almost everything, but not the love,” wrote Michele DeSocio in Living Proof that Alzheimer’s Can’t Steal Love.

Oxford Health Care offers numerous home care programs that can provide you the help, support and relief you need so you may enjoy time with your loved one and continue to care for them at home. If you have questions, our Care Coordinators will be happy to assist you.